This invention relates to the mounting of electronic circuit microelements on circuit boards and other surfaces. More particularly, the invention relates to an electronic circuit microelement and base or socket assembly wherein electrical connections can be readily made both between terminals of an electronic circuit microelement and with external electrical elements. All such connections are on one side of a circuit board and there is no passage of the terminals of the microelement or associated connectors through the circuit board as in conventional systems.
A conventional electronic circuit microelement comprises a simple rectangular parallelpiped of insulating material encapsulating the active circuit elements of the microelement. To connect the integrated circuit elements within the microelement to an external circuit, or to interconnect such elements, a plurality of electrical leads are provided through the non-conductive encapsulation or body of the microelement. The leads, conventionally projecting from a pair of opposite sides of the body of the microelement, extend outwardly in opposite directions and are bent through approximately 90.degree. a short distance after leaving the non-conductive encapsulation or body such that all leads or terminals have free end portions extending parallel to each other. Thus, in a final configuration first and second rows or spaced parallel series of terminals or, more specifically, terminal free end portions extend a substantial distance from the body of the microelement in parallel arrangement and in the same direction.
Microelements so constructed are usually mounted directly to circuit boards by inserting the terminals in corresponding female sockets and the terminals project through the boards or, alternatively, connectors engaged by the terminals project through the boards. The opposite surface of the circuit board may include a printed circuit, and especially in experimental activities, there may be connectors which project from an opposite side of the circuit board and which are associated with the terminals of the microelement for selective interconnection and for selective external electrical connection by means of small insulated wires. That is, the connectors may be interconnected so as to interconnect their respective terminals and internal circuit elements by means of small insulated wires and/or the connectors may be employed with small diameter insulated wire to effect connections externally with other circuit elements.
Particularly in the case of experimental activities involving the use of small diameter insulated wire and wherein there may be a degree of "cut and try" technique involved, the circuit board must be continuously reversed or rotated back and forth so that the operator can properly associate the terminals of the microelement with the connectors which project from the opposite side of the circuit board, indicia usually being provided on the side of the microelement body opposite the terminals. Not only is the continuous reversal or "flip flopping" of the circuit board inconvenient and inefficient but it will be apparent that errors tend to occur in experimental wiring as a result of such an awkward and tedious technique.
It is the general object of the present invention to provide an assembly of an electronic circuit microelement and a base wherein terminal engaging connectors are provided with free end portions exposed adjacent the body of the microelement and are readily accessible on one side of the assembly, the need for reversal or "flip flopping" of a circuit board thus being wholly eliminated.